Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

From: Terry Banister ebeyrider@xxxxxxxxxxx
 
> Also, fats (rice bran) should be eliminated at least 72 hours

> prior to competition because it is harder to digest/process,

> and it does something about slowing water absorbtion.
> Kat, can you elaborate?

 

Susan Garlinghouse could elaborate better.  However, equine nutrition and the appropriate way to supplement different feed stuffs for different needs is a HUGE topic, and is very much a function of the base forage that you use as well as the needs of the individual horse.

 

I doubt that there is anybody who could elaborate adequately on "what is the best way to supplement any endurance horse" and be able to include all the possible permutations based on the nutritional contents of different feeds from different locations and the needs of different horses.

 

However, I have a tendency to agree with James Rooney, DVM where he stated in his 1974 book _The Lame Horse_ "It is certinaly true, as innumerable authorities have pointed out, that we know less about the nutritional needs of the horse than any other domestic species.  I do not accept, however, the corollary usually presented that we do not know how to feed horses.  Just because we do not know why we are doing something does not necessarily mean that we are doing it wrong.  Both man and the horse managed somehow to eveolve from the primeval slime without any particular intellecutal understnading of what they were doing.  I hasten to say that I am not opposed to intensive, careful research on nutrition in horse.  When the work is done, however, I venture to predict that gras, hay (yes even timothy), and oats will stand untarnished in the scientific array."

 

Since this statement was published a lot of research has been done into horse nutrition.  And I think he is right, after all the research is done, grass, hay and oats are confirmed as a pretty good ration for almost any horse.

 

kat

Orange County, Calif.

:)